Healthy Communities

Center for Sustainable Systems grad students Molly Russell and Paige Greenberg with Associate Director Shoshannah Lenski.

Big House, big environmental impact: How U-M is reimagining sustainability at Michigan Stadium

The university has been successfully working toward achieving zero waste at Michigan Stadium, while a recent university study considered the environmental impact of the Big 10's expansion.

Latest in Healthy Communities
Mark Witte chats with OnPoint staff: from left,  Andre Pierre, Jr., chief administrative officer; Kelly Dingman, accounting supervisor, and Sarah Lumbert, general accountant.
OnPoint: The many professional roles within mental health care

Michigan’s community mental health agencies need more psychiatrists, psychologists, and master’s level social workers, but they also need bachelor’s level social workers, administrative staff,  peer support specialists, accountants, and direct care workers — roles that require no college degree or degrees in areas not relating directly to mental health. 

Michigan student loan repayment program helping to tackle mental health workforce shortage

Michigan has long faced a critical shortage of mental health professionals, impacting access to vital care for communities across the state. To address this growing challenge, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched the Behavioral Health Now Loan Repayment Program, a strategic initiative aimed at attracting and retaining mental health professionals by alleviating the financial burden of student loans.

T'onna Clemons with her mural at RAC.
Riverside Arts Center bolsters public art in Ypsi with new sculpture and mural by local artists

The mural by Ann Arbor artist T’onna Clemons and the sculpture by Ypsilanti artists Bryant and Sharon Tubbs reflect Riverside Arts Center's mission to make art accessible to the Ypsilanti community.

Luther Blackburn with Katelyn Zak in front of her home that had its lead service lines replaced by YCUA.
Initiative aims to identify lead plumbing in Ypsi-area homes

Ypsi's drinking water itself is safe, but pipes on private property may still contain lead. The Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority is using state and federal funds to change that.

Ted Badgerow (left) receives the Tom Burns Award for brewing trailblazers.
Ypsi brewery owner wins state award for being a craft beer trailblazer

Ypsi Alehouse co-founder Ted Badgerow received a Tom Burns Award for brewing trailblazers at the Michigan Brewers Guild Annual Conference on Jan. 9.

Odindi Youth Action Village co-founders Akin and Bambo Oluwadare.
Nonprofit seeks to empower young people in Ypsi Township’s West Willow neighborhood

With a mission to nurture positive, healthy, and fulfilling lives, Odindi Youth Action Village envisions a future where every young person has the resources and encouragement to reach their full potential.

Garrett's Space program facilitators.
Suicide prevention nonprofit receives county millage funds as it builds Superior Township campus

Ann Arbor-based suicide prevention nonprofit Garrett’s Space has been selected to receive $373,306 from the Washtenaw County Community Mental Health and Public Safety Preservation Millage.

Ypsilanti City Manager Andrew Hellenga at the Peninsular Dam.
Ypsi secures funds to remove aging Peninsular Dam in 2026

The Peninsular Dam over the Huron River in Ypsilanti is one step closer to being removed after the city received a $7.5 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund.

A book vending machine at Ypsilanti Community High School.
New vending machines at Ypsi schools offer free books for students

Ypsilanti Community Schools students can win tokens to "purchase" free reading materials from 10 new book vending machines located in the district's schools.

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